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Roseville is an ideal location for those seeking warm springtimes, long, hot and dry summers, and glorious autumnal colors. Although it can be rainy in the winter, the temperatures in December and January rarely fall below freezing, and even in the late summer, nighttime temperatures are cool and comfortable. A testament to the bright sunshine of Placer County, you will find thousands of roses blooming lustily—a gardener’s delight. And it’s not just newly planted roses that give Placer County its reputation among rosarians: antique roses that came east with the earliest American settlers stayed behind after the gold rush, reproduced and can still be found near old building foundations by dedicated rose-hunters. The warm climate has preserved roses whose original names would otherwise have been lost.
Roseville has a dry climate, averaging around 24 inches of rain each year, concentrated in the winter and spring. There are about 257 days of sunshine each year, making it ideal for sun lovers. Unfortunately, most of the rain that falls does so during the winter, so crop irrigation is an issue. Weather events that have been classified as disasters in the region over the past 50 years are a combination of problems due to winter flooding and summertime drought that has caused harm to local agriculture. Since Roseville is located at the bottom of the Sierra Nevada foothills, snow is rare, but it’s a short trip to terrific skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports.
Because of the warm foothill weather, Roseville luxuriates in wonderful produce. Strawberries, tomatoes, mandarin oranges, grapes and other warm weather crops do splendidly in the long growing season, and for those interested in wildcrafting, pine nuts and literally thousands of herbs and flowers can be found growing wild in the foothills. Berries and wild fruiting shrubs feed wildlife (and food-savvy hikers), and many species of pine, maple and oaks make up the forests. The hardwoods that exist in the foothills region are also responsible for the fall colors, which occur as daylight hours lessen and sap production slows. Ferns and herbs also turn color in the autumn, making fall hikes in the area a wonderful way to spend a day off from work.
Many California towns, particularly on the coast, don’t have discrete seasons: the temperate climate prevents them. Roseville has all four seasons, and knows what to do with them. In the summer, residents enjoy evenings downtown, weekend farmers’ markets and classic car shows. Year round entertainment and education is available through community programs, live theater, shopping and dining. Even if you live in San Francisco, a weekend in Roseville is a delightful step back from city life with all the amenities that travelers wish for—great dining, antiquing and wine tasting, to name a few.
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